Everything has a history and one can make history from anything. Webster: For me, history aligns with everything. From there, because I was already listening to socially and politically conscientious hip-hop, it was not long before they blended together.Ĭhevalier-Caron: How do you see the links between history and activism? Rather than drawing or playing an instrument, I gravitated to writing. For much of my life, I have searched for a creative outlet for my imagination. It was from this interest that I developed a desire to make music. It is a type of music that I listened to often. I embedded myself into the vein of history and it is there where I found my activism.Ĭhevalier-Caron: Was it similar influences that encouraged you to make hip-hop music? As I grew up, I decided to develop this – to invest a bit – by denouncing inequalities, the events taking place around me, and the inaccuracies of history. This is what I became interested in and they played a formative role in my life. I grew up with models like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, and the Black Panthers. I recall that during Apartheid we were never allowed to eat food from South Africa. Even in our youth, my mother and father were very active in the labour movement and immigration issues. Webster: I come from a family of activists. As part of Black History month (in February), we present a transcript of this interview, tackling questions focused on activism, rap, history and inequality.Ĭhristine Chevalier-Caron: What encouraged you to become an activist? Passionate about history, Webster’s work has fuelled historiographical renewal in Quebec by emphasizing the importance of its minority populations, specifically the histories of Black Québecois and slavery. Growing up in the Quebec City neighbourhood of Limoilou, this Sénéquéb métis pure laine began to rap in 1995. This interview originally between Christine Chevalier-Caron and Webster appeared in French on Histoire Engagée. Translated by Thomas Peace.Ī few months ago, I had the chance to interview the inspirational Aly Ndiaye, better known as Webster.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |